OnePlus has a smaller presence in the wearable market, especially when it comes to smartwatches. Despite its promising hardware, the OnePlus Watch 2, released earlier this year, faced criticism for its lack of LTE connectivity, the incomplete crown button, and the absence of common health features such as ECG and body composition analysis. However, it seems OnePlus is addressing these shortcomings with its upcoming watch, as revealed by a recent certification listing in China.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is poised for launch and has been spotted on China’s electronics certification and regulatory body, TENAA (via GSMArena). Aside from showcasing a familiar design, the listing confirms the inclusion of LTE connectivity, a feature missing from the OnePlus Watch 2. The new OnePlus Watch 3 is confirmed to feature an eSIM, initially limited to certain Chinese carriers, but we can anticipate broader support with its global release.
In terms of design, OnePlus has chosen not to completely overhaul its previous design. The OnePlus Watch 3 is set to retain a circular dial with two buttons on the side. The single image available from the listing doesn’t fully reveal the button shapes, but it seems there will be two circular buttons instead of just one from the previous model—although the rotating functionality of the top button is still unconfirmed.
Along with maintaining the circular dial, OnePlus has refined the previously plain bezel. It now features a tachymeter dial with markings for hours, but lacking finer markings for seconds. Although it wouldn’t function as a true tachymeter (while a few chronograph watch faces wouldn’t hurt), the absence of minute markings is not a major concern.
Besides the design and LTE functionality, the TENAA listing confirms a 500mAh battery, unchanged from the previous generation. We cannot confidently assess any improvements to the charging mechanism or the sensors on the smartwatch’s back since they are not visible in the listing. The silicone strap of the OnePlus Watch 3 appears to have a different diamond-cut pattern, replacing straight lines, and a seemingly slimmer body.
The listing also confirms that the OnePlus Watch 3 runs on Android, which translates to Wear OS. While other details about the OnePlus Watch 3 are limited, it’s speculated that it will run on an upgraded Snapdragon Wear W5 Gen 2 platform based on another listing from the Indian certification platform, BIS.
Regarding availability, despite receiving several early certifications, the OnePlus Watch 3 may not launch immediately. The precise timeline remains unclear, but a reliable leaker recently hinted at a delayed launch. Whether the launch aligns with the second generation of the OnePlus Open or even later is something we’ll discover in the coming months.
